[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Music was life, and anything would help.Then faster:  MarchingThrough Georgia and  Union Forever  fighting songs, those and  Susan Brown and  Turkey in theStraw with their catchy cheery rhythm, and she could see the power linking the two Bards like binarysuns.Power and life, that spilled over into the others, through the walls and the floor, filling the entirebuilding with their defiance, filling Kayla until she twitched with it, all exhaustion banished.The others roused, shaking off the seductive despair that had wrapped them like a burial shroud,breaking the cycle of grief and surrender.It seemed as if Kayla could feel the House itself taking a deepbreath and shaking all over like a wet dog.And then at last they could all sense the threat that came from without: the malignancy and triumph.* * *:Bogeys at six o clock! Scramble!: Greystone Sent, panic in his mental voice.They could all feel it, thatpower like no other: the mark of the Dark Lords, the Unseleighe Sidhe.Eric ran to the window andstepped out onto the fire escape.Behind him he heard the apartment door slam as the Guardians ran todefend their turf.The front door of the building was  twelve o clock, so the enemy was at the back, inthe parking lot.Aerune.A sickness twisted in Eric s gut as he recognized the rider on the black elvensteed.Aerune wasthe one who had been feeding on their anguish, turning their grief to despair.He vaulted over the railing,and let a touch of Power carry him lightly five stories to the ground.Outside the bespelled air conditioningof his apartment, the summer heat enveloped him like a glove, plastering his white dress shirt to his bodyas sweat sprang out of every pore.The other three no, four Guardians reached the ground at the same time he did and fanned out, notseeing Aerune yet.Eric didn t see Ria she was probably still inside, sitting on Kayla.That was a smallmercy.The last time any of them had faced Aerune, he d been kidnapping and draining Talent andKayla would be just the sort of morsel that would whet his appetite if he weren t already glutted withthe power he d siphoned off from Guardian House and its inmates.Aerune glowed with Power in Eric smage-sight power enough to rock the city around their ears.But tonight it seemed that Aerune had other plans. Greetings, mortal pests and Bard. Aerune bowed with a flourish, leaning over his mount s saddle,hugely pleased with himself.When he spoke, the glamourie that surrounded him vanished, and the otherscould see him as well. It is a lovely evening, is it not? What does he want? Toni whispered to Eric. You re the expert on elves. Good evening, Lord Aerune.Eric stepped forward, bowing in turn.Good manners, due form, these were vital in dealing with HighCourt Sidhe, whether Dark or Bright.Ignore the forms, and they could kill you out of hand, but if youplayed by the rules, they had to as well. You are far from home. I ride over lands I intend to claim, Aerune said. Had you fallen into my trap, I could have done sotonight without difficulty but no matter.I am an apt pupil, Bard, and I have learned your lessons well.My allies daily grow stronger.and I can wait while you wither and die.Mortals die so easily ah, butyou have already discovered that this fine evening, have you not?He means Jimmie, Eric realized, and held onto his temper with a great effort.Fury was weakness.Itwould not help him. Yes, I can wait, Aerune continued,  while all you can do is age and die, pathetic mortal meat that youare.Perhaps I will save you from that, and grant each of you a hero s death.Aerune drew back his hand.It glowed blackly with levin-fire.Eric barely had time to throw a shield overhimself and the others, but they were not his target.Aerune struck at the House itself, balefire fountainingover bricks and mortar, until the walls of the building itself ran with cold fire.Eric could hear screams coming from inside.The Sensitives of Guardian House would have nightmaresfor months, but he dared not look away from the Unseleighe Lord.He wasn t powerful enough to takeon Aerune by himself, the Guardians had no experience with the Sidhe, and Hosea was untrained eitheras Guardian or Bard.And nightmares were better than body bags.Seeing that none of them would attack, Aerune began to laugh. But not tonight.No, tonight, in token ofthe great love I bear for you all, I bring you.a gift.Something someone staggered forward, sprawling at their feet.It was a girl a woman dressed ina glove-tight suit of black leather studded in silver, that covered all of her but her face.Silver hair spilleddown her back, glittering in the parking lot s merciless halogen lights.She wore a collar and leash, and she was human.Aerune s mount reared and vaulted through the Portal he had opened.The Portal vanished, but hislaughter echoed in the air.Eric ran forward to help the girl up, but she scrabbled backward on hands and knees, whimpering.Theleash dragged along the ground.She was hemorrhaging Power, radiating like a beacon, and Eric coulddetect no hint of shielding. Hey, take it easy.We won t hurt you.She shook her head he still couldn t see her face but she began to laugh breathlessly, a sound chillingin its hopelessness. What the hell is going on? Ria demanded, arriving with Kayla. What s that? Aerune said she was a present, Eric said tightly.The crouching figure looked up.There was a frozen moment of silence. You, Ria breathed, fury in her voice.The woman scrabbled to her feet and tried to run, but Ria was faster.She lunged forward, grabbing ahandful of silver hair and dealing a stinging open-handed slap with the other.She drew back her hand toslap the woman again, but Eric grabbed her. Ria! Stop it! What s going on?Ria glared at him, green eyes flaming, her hand still fisted in the woman s hair.She shook her victim.Ria s handprint stood out lividly against her skin. Don t you know who this is, even with the clever plastic disguise? Meet Jeanette Campbell: she inventedT-Stroke, and I m going to make her wish she d never been born.Let go of me! She struggled, trying topull her arm free of Eric s grip.Jeanette cowered back, panting and whimpering. Now, Miss Llewellyn, Hosea said mildly.He picked up the trailing leash and looped it around his hand. She isn t going anywhere.And I think we d all like some answers. She s mine! Ria snarled. No, she isn t, Eric said levelly. Let go of her, Ria.We have to find out what she knows.And then thelaw can make her pay for her crimes [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]